At the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC, Donald Trump playfully nicknamed his wife Melania ‘Mercedes’ amid his speech, garnering applause and a standing ovation from the audience.
Melania, the ‘Mercedes’ of CPAC
Despite Melania Trump’s recent absence from the public eye, it seems she’s still on her husband’s mind. At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on 24 February, some attendees thought Donald Trump mispronounced her name during his speech.
Trump’s CPAC Slip-Up?
Addressing a large crowd near Washington, the 77-year-old former president spoke fondly of his 53-year-old wife, emphasizing the public’s affection for her with the words, ‘Well look, my wife, our great first lady, she was great… people love her.’
Trump Praises Former First Lady
As he highlighted her popularity, saying, ‘Oh look at that Mercedes, that’s pretty good,’ the crowd at the CPAC responded with a standing ovation for the former First Lady. Mr. Trump’s keynote speech at CPAC coincided with the South Carolina primary on 24 February.
Mercedes Mention Stirs Curiosity
Observers quickly speculated that when Trump said ‘Mercedes,’ he was actually referring to Melania, labeling it an awkward gaffe. Yet, some defended the president, asserting that his comment was aimed at a different individual.
Intended Mention?
Reddit user ‘seattlenostalgia’ highlighted, “Mercedes Schlapp is a key organiser in CPAC and was present during the speech It seems likely Trump was giving her a shout-out.”
The ‘Mercedes’ Mystery
They further added, “In the context of the fact that a key political player with the name Mercedes was in [the] audience there, it seems far more likely Trump was throwing out a line in her direction rather than him randomly referring to his wife as a German luxury sedan.”
‘Fake News’
Mercedes Schlapp, the subject of the supposed misnaming, took to Twitter to label the incident as ‘fake news at its finest.’
The Rise of Mercedes
Schlapp served in the White House under President George W. Bush as the Director of Specialty Media. In this role, she was responsible for communications and media strategy related to various interest groups.
From Bush to Trump
She was also a part of the Trump administration, serving as the White House Director of Strategic Communications. In this position, she played a key role in shaping the administration’s messaging and communication strategies.
Conservative Commentator
Schlapp is a familiar face on television, often appearing as a commentator or political analyst, particularly on conservative platforms. She is known for her articulate defense of conservative policies and viewpoints.
Trump’s Cognitive Test Brag
Donald Trump, known for his confident public persona and unique speaking style, has often even bragged about his cognitive abilities. At a New Hampshire campaign event, Trump proudly shared his success in a basic cognitive test, reinforcing his claim of being an ‘extremely stable genius.’
Animal Recognition Test
He recounted to his audience, ‘I took it, and I aced it,’ referring to a test where he distinguished animals like a giraffe, a tiger, or a whale. He further boasted about his performance: ‘Which one is the whale?’
Boasting Cognitive Skills
This echoes his previous boasts during a 2020 Fox News interview about acing a test meant to detect cognitive issues, where he said, “The first questions are very easy, the last questions are much more difficult. Like a memory question. It’s like, you’ll go, ‘Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.’”
Aging Leaders Under Scrutiny
The mental sharpness of both Donald Trump and his potential electoral rival, Joe Biden, has been under intense public scrutiny, especially considering their ages. Biden, at 81, maintains he’s fully capable of performing his duties as president.
A Sarcastic Jab from Trump
Trump often critiques Biden’s mental abilities. In a notable moment at his CPAC speech, Trump mimicked Biden’s State of the Union address, sarcastically commenting on his negotiation skills: “This is what we have negotiating nuclear weapons.”
Despite these jabs, experts in gerontology assert that there’s no solid proof of cognitive decline in either leader.
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